David Letterman donating talk show memorabilia to Ball State alma mater

Dec. 1, 2015

Updated Dec. 4, 2015 5:46 p.m.

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David Letterman moderates an interview with filmmakers Spike Jonze and Bennett Miller at his alma mater, Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., on Monday. Six months into retirement, Letterman was sporting the beard of a man who no longer needs to get up for work every morning — he likened it to Charles Darwin's beard. , A.J. MAST, THE NEW YORK TIMES

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David Letterman speaks at his alma mater, Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., on Monday. Letterman is donating memorabilia from his career in television to his alma mater. , A.J. MAST, THE NEW YORK TIMES

David Letterman moderates an interview with filmmakers Spike Jonze and Bennett Miller at his alma mater, Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., on Monday. Six months into retirement, Letterman was sporting the beard of a man who no longer needs to get up for work every morning — he likened it to Charles Darwin's beard. , A.J. MAST, THE NEW YORK TIMES

MUNCIE, Ind. — Comedian and Ball State University graduate David Letterman is donating memorabilia from his career in television to his alma mater.

Ball State President Paul Ferguson made the announcement Monday night before Letterman spoke to a sold-out crowd at Emens Auditorium with filmmakers Spike Jonze and Bennett Miller. Ferguson said Letterman plans to donate Emmy Awards, a talk-show set, props and other items to create “The David Letterman Experience” at the Muncie school.

“‘We are proud to call David Letterman one of our own, and even more so, David is proud to call Ball State home,” Ferguson said.

Letterman graduated from Ball State in 1969 and has since returned to the school for a lecture series with other celebrities. He shared the stage at Emens Auditorium with Oprah Winfrey in 2012, Rachel Maddow in 2011 and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone in 2010.

Onstage Monday, Letterman, who has grown a bushy beard, joked about how meaningful something called “The David Letterman Experience” might be.

“So you can sit at a desk and pretend to talk to an actor?” he said.

Contributions to Ball State by Letterman include scholarships, a lecture series and helping start a student-run radio station in 1986. The campus also has the David Letterman Communication and Media Building, which will house the new exhibit.

Letterman signed off in May as host of CBS’ “Late Show.” He hosted NBC’s “Late Night” from 1982 to 1993.

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